Here's the scenario, called the 20-10 assignment. Imagine you receive two phone calls. In the first, you are given 20 million dollars with no strings attached. In the second, you are informed that you have a rare and incurable disease that will allow you 10 years to live. The project asks the question: what will you change about your life? What will you do differently and, in particular, what will you stop doing? It's a question of allocation. How will you spend the most important resource of your life - precious time?

Questions arose from the 20-10 assignment; like these:

 

What are you deeply passionate about?

What are you "born to do"?

What makes economic sense?

 

If those questions would make you change something about your own business or personal life in the context of $20 million/10 years, what impact would they make on your life without money or time restrictions? Most of us would make simple changes without the boundaries set by Ms. Myers. If you would (and *I* certainly would), what would yours be?

 
Here's what I realized. Spending 80% of your time doing something that only generates 20% of your income means that it's time to stop. Throwing good effort after no result? It's easy. Stop. This principle reminds me of a tough conversation from last week, during which we realized that cancellations and no-shows were on the rise in one of our practices. The administrators spent the majority of their days chasing down and verbally confirming lackluster patients, who then no-showed or SNC'ed. We had to make the executive decision to stop throwing effort after the 30% of patients who don't care about our services - so that we can show the appropriate amount of care and attention to relationships with the patients (or prospective patients) who value it. The hours freed up each day will now be spent locating and communicating with desired patient pools and lubricating the great relationships we already possess. Stopping really is a freedom of sorts.